Tough economy

Jobs are not easy to come by these days.  With all the layoffs due to this economy, it is not uncommon to see skilled labor or someone with a professional background, doing a job to make ends meet.  This is simply what we have to do right now.  I admire their perseverance and willingness to do what is necessary to survive.

I recently saw my friend Fred, doing one of these jobs.  He spent years working at a quarry.  I thought his position would be secure, but am glad that he is able to provide for his wife and daughter.

It seems like it was yesterday, watching Fred pull up to the local burger stand.  I swear he would always order a rack of ribs that would topple his car.  Now he is twirling a sign on the side of the road.

We should all be thankful for what we have.

forms of payment

I like cheap Chinese food.  The food that is not entirely healthy, but it makes up for it in sheer volume. Don't judge me.  We all have these guilty pleasures.  I don't think this is really Chinese food, just food that Americans have accepted as Chinese food.  I doubt anyone in China is ordering a two item combo with chow mien teriyaki chicken and mongolian beef.
These places are fairly easy to find.  They are the little hole in the walls where most of the food is kept under heat lamps.  I go to the ones that have a line of people, and stay clear of the ones that sell donuts, fried chicken, fish and chips, pagers, cell phones and cash checks.  There is no way they can do all these things well, let alone mediocre.
The one I frequent the most, The Ho-Ho (no I am not kidding), is pretty good.  This is the highest rating a place like this can get, the lowest rating is: bring a stomach pump.  These places are not limited to impoverished areas.  You can find them at most shopping centers and malls.
I did not think The Ho-Ho was in a bad neighborhood, but my wife insists that I am not a good judge of these sort of things.  Because I grew up in the barrio/ghetto, as long as nobody is actively being beaten, stabbed or shot on the street...it is not that bad.
Recently while visiting The Ho-Ho, I have changed my mind about how I have been assessing bad neighborhoods.  I noticed that there was a sign by the cash register that stipulated the forms of payment that are NOT accepted.

If you are in an establishment that has ever been offered a business card as payment, it is not a good neighborhood.  I'm not sure who would do this, and I feel like they may have gotten away with it at one point.  They must have, for them to make a sign.
Can you imagine that conversation..."just put it on my business card"

Doctor Marten...paging Doctor Marten

I remember my first pair of Doc's fondly.  It was a rite of passage, when I was a youth.  It was when the villagers all gathered around, animals were sacrificed and I was hoisted into the air and it was declared that this day, I was a man.  In the 80's, you were not punk rock until you had a pair of Doc's, you were "new wave".  I worked my butt off to buy them.  Which in hindsight, seems odd.  I started working at an early age, then spent a huge chunk of it on boots that would portray my image as "working class punker."

My favorite pair of Doc Martens were Ox Blood steel toe oxfords.  These were discontinued.  This left a large, foot sized whole in my heart.  My wife knew of my heart ache, so she was ecstatic the day she found out they were re-releasing these shoes.  Not only were they making them, they are using the original factory and techniques.  They are available at the Doc Marten store in San Francisco.  I needed to make this purchase and this needed to be an event.


There can only be one solution...ROAD TRIP!!

Packed the family into the van and headed north.  It truly was an adventure.  We visited friends and family.  Went to all the way up to Redding (big), Alameda Antique Flea Market (huge!), loaded up with music from Amoeba, San Francisco (epic!!), blew out a tire (buzz kill!!!) and went to the greatest place on earth...THE DOC MARTEN STORE (LEGENDARY!!!!).

Every place we went to was a destination of it's own.  Roll them up in a bundle, you have one hell of an adventure.  To top it all off, in keeping in the Doc tradition, I have a story about my shoes.

So when I am asked if I had a good time during my vacation, my eyes roll back and a smile crawls across my face.  Yes, I answer, yes I did.  

Long Weekend

For those keeping track.
Yesterday was Iggy Pop day today is John Waters day.  This can only mean one thing...LONG WEEKEND!!!

It is John Waters birthday.  If you don't know or can't appreciate his work, then have fun at work.

Here is a little something that a fellow aficionado brought to my attention.

Happy Iggy Pop Day!!!!!!!

Today is Iggy Pop's 64th birthday.  If you were unaware and came into work, please plan an additional day off in observance of this holiday. 

For the people that are taking the day off, just to take a day off, you are probably wondering who Iggy is.  You would best know his work from the song "lust for life".  This song was featured in the movie Trainspotting and is the music from the commercials for Carnival Cruises.  You would also know him from the song "China Girl", that was made popular when David Bowie re-released it. 

Iggy and the Stooges are one of the most influential punk rock bands of the 70's and 80's.  Iggy's solo career has more highlights than I can list. 

Do yourself a favor and take this day to enjoy his work.  You will thank me.

420?

Today is April 20th.  A day that is sure to encourage people (that rarely need encouragement), to sit around and smoke weed.  I don't condone this behavior, not at all.  I am not for or against cannabis use.  I do know this, I would rather live next door to a pot head than a drunk or tweaker.  The stoned guy will not keep you up all night and does not have the energy to try and break into your house.
I make notice of this day for one reason.  That if you are under the influence, I wanted to give you something really cool to look at.  If you are sober, you will find it interesting as well.  You are just less likely to pee on yourself when laughing.

A periodical called Meatpaper.  If you subscribe to it, you get your own veal cage.  Please note how serious the cover model is.  He has that "yea, I eat meat and I'm damn proud of it" look.   This guy eats steak with a side of meat and on the rare occasion he has a salad, he tops it with au jus.

I don't eat out of the vending machine at work, but I could not help but notice that the vendor is taking advantage of it being 4/20.  That is the only explanation that there are Burger King French Toast Snacks in the machine.  I am willing to bet that they came up with the idea of this snack food on 4/20.

I'm back!!!!

I went on vacation for a week, and drove to Northern California.  Upon my return, I had to fly out to Arizona for work, for a few days.  I saw lots of interesting things and met a lot of interesting people.  I took a billion pictures and prepped a hundred postings.  I did not publish any of them.It was not until today, that I had the burning urge to publish my findings.
I was at one of our local malls this weekend.  It was amazing.  Mini-skirt, sunglasses and gloves...

 Yes this is for real.  Yes, she realized I was taking her picture and smiled.  Yes, those gloves have zippers.

Ouch...head hurts...joke overload.